Collapsible crate and lock.



B. M. TOMBERLIN.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE AND LOCK.

APPLICATION HLED 1AN.2Z| I914.

Patented June 26, 1917.

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COLLAPSIIBLE CRATE 'ANID LOCK.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June26, 1917..

Application filed lanuary 22, 1914. Serial No. 813,717.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, BAKER M; TOMBERLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, haveinvente'dcertain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Crates and Locksya'nd I do hereby declare the following to be a full,'clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled appertains to make and use thesame:

This invention relates to improvements in collapsible crates and to the combination of locking means therewith.

The object in view location of a lock enabling the same to effec tively lock the folding parts ofa collapsible crate, both in a closed and open-position.

W iththis and further objects in View, the invention'comprises certain novel constructions, combination and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter specifically claimed. l a

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a viewin side elevation of a crate embodying the features of the present invention; r

Fig. 2 is 'a transverse, vertical section,

3 taken on the plane indicated byline 2-2 of Fig; l and looking cated by the arrow. 7

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the parts illustrated in their collapsed condition. a Fig. is an enlargeddetail fragmentary, vertical section taken on the plane indicated by line H of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the plane indicated by line 55 of-Fig.-3. i Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, horizontalsection taken on the planeindicated by line 6 .6 of Fig. 1 and looking downward.

lVhile the present invention is applicable particularly to acollapsible crate formed in the direction indiof sheet metal and hence ithasbeen found necessary to exaggerate thickness in order to illustrate structure in the drawings, it is obvious that the invention is applicable to other material, such aspapier mach or other appropriate sheets.

Referring to thedrawings by numerals, 1 1 indicate the sides, 22 the ends and 33 the top and bottom plates of a crate or other collapsible container. -Whileeach of said plates is'illustrated inthe drawmgsas rectangular, obviously thecontour thereof in the art to which it is the construction and will vary with variations in the shape of the container as a whole.

Ends 2 are hinged to the sides 1 by interlacing elongated eyes l, 5 connected by a plntle comprised of the wire or rod 6 which serves the double function as acting as a pintle and edge binding rod, the material at the edges of the upper and lower edges ofdthe respective ides being rolled over the ro 1 a Each of the end plates 2 is provided with a similar edge stiffening and finishing rod 6-over which the upper and lower edges of the respective end plate are rolled and over which those portions of the vertical edges of the respective end plates not forming eyes 5 are also rolled, each of the top and bottom plates 3 is provided with a like edge stiffening and finishing rod 6 about which the material at the edges of the respective plates 3 is rolled.

-Hinged leaves or plates 3 rear edge portion of the top plate 3 and the frontedge portion of the bottom plate 3, the former extending rearwardly and being provided with an eye surrounding the upper horizontal portion of the rod 6 of the respective side, and the latter extending forwardly and being formed with an eye surrounding rod 6 of the other side plate 1, the material of the side plate being cut away at pointsnecessary for accommodating the eyes of hinged plates 3.

Thus the bottom plate 3 is adapted to be swung upon its hinges 3 to an upstanding position immediately in front of the front side plate land the top plate 3 is adapted to be swung to a vertical, pendent position immediately in the rear of the rear side plate 1, said vertical position being indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. I

Fixed to the upper portion of the front side plate 1 are preferablygfiat guiding sleeves 747, there being preferablytwo such sleeves employed, or. otherwise a single sleeve might be ,utilized if preferred or a greater number of sleeves with their accompanying parts may be found desirable under certain conditions.

'Slidably mounted in each. sleeve 7 is a locking bolt 8, having its upper end formed with ahook 9 whose bight is sufliciently large to inclose the edges of the collapsible parts, asseen inFig- 3 and aswill be hereinafter mere fully set forth, the hook being propor are fixed to-the tioned to have its down-turned free portion enter an aperture 10 formed in the plate 3 just inside of the edge binding of the plate.

The lower extremity of bent inwardly to form a right angle extention or hook portion 11, disposed to enter an aperture 12, and each plate 8 is also formed with an outstanding hook portion 13 formed in any appropriate manner, as bythe fixing. of an additional plate to the plate 8 with the terminal portion of the additional plate bent upwardly.

The lower portion of the rear side plate 1 is provided with locking devices which are exact duplicates of those just described, and the same reference numerals have therefore been applied, and the same description is applicable, the locking devices fixed to the rear plate 1, however, being at the lower portion of the plate, obviously necessarily acting inan inversed direction to that of the lock carried by the front plate 1, and the bottom plate 3' being formed with the appro-- priate apertures 10, similar to those formed in the top plate 3.

A partition plate It is arranged within the body of the crate, and has its edges bound by a rod 16 similar in structure and arrangement to the rods 6, 6" and6, and the partition is formed with notches 17 in its. vertical edges into which extend eyes 18 fixed to the respectivesides 1, and through which-eyes extend the rod 16 to serve asa pintle for hinging the partition tothe side plates, the eyes 18 being preferably considerably larger rod 16 so as to form a loose hinged connection to allow some lateral play of the partition in addition to its hinging movement in the collapsing of the parts. 7

It is obvious, particularly from the dotted line position of the plates 3 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, that the apertureslO are located and the plates 3 are proportioned with respect to the plates land the position of the bolts 8, so that when the plates 8 are folded back upon the side plates, the apertures 10 will register with apertures 12 and hook portion 11 is adapted to be passed through the two apertures, so as to lock the respective plate 3 in its folded back position.

Then both of the plates 3 are so folded back and locked, there is nothingleft to stabilize the crate, and the sides, ends, and partition are free to collapse upon each other in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, it being, of course, obvious that before swinging the plates 3 to their dotted line positions in Fig.2, said plates 3 must be released by the moving of the bolts 8 vertically. until their hooks are disengaged from the plates. To do this the'operator grasps the extension or handle 13 and draws tl e hook 11 out of the respective aperture 12, spring ing the material of the plate 1 in order to each bolt 8 is than the diameter of the accomplish this result, and then presses the respective bolt 8 longitudinally for releasing the plate 3, which plate after being folded back upon its "respective side plate 1 is then engaged by a locking element at the other side of the crate from that which formerly engaged it, this engagement being effected also by the springing of the material of bolt 8 so.-as-.to.enable the hook portion 11 to pass over the edge binding 6 and through the aperture 10;

hen the plates 3 have been thus folded back the parts collapsed and; the caused to engage the partsfor locking the plates 3 in their collapsible position, the hook 9 'of'oneof the upper-locking elements and one of the lower locking elements will be found to inclose thecollapsible partsin the manner clearlyillustrated in Fig.

Each bolt 8 consists of a substantially rigid strip of material sufficiently resilient topermit springing into and outof locking position, the bolt carrying its two hooks as integral parts and b'eing confined against releaseof the engaged parts by the guiding bracket or sleeve 7 hat I claim is 1. In a folding crate, the combination of a collapsible container comprising side and end plates hinged together, a top plate hinged to the upper edge of one side plate, a bottom plate hinged to the lower edge of the other side plate, its lengthand slidingly carried by the upper portion of one of the side plates and having a hook at each end, the upper or outer hook being adapted to engage and lock the top plate in its extended position and the lower or bottom hook being adaptedto en'- gage and lock the bottom plate in its folded position, and a similar lock engaging the other side plate atits lower portion and having similar hooks for engaging respectivel the bottom plate in its extended position and the top plate'in its folded position.

2. In a folding crate, the combination of a collapsible container and end plates, a top plate hinged to the upper edge of the rear side plate, a bottom plate hinged to thelower edge of the front side plate, the hinges of the top and bottom plates being adapted to enable said plates to swing-from an unfolded horizontal position toa folded vertical position, a bolt substan tially rigid throughout its length slidingly engaging the, upper portion of-the front side plate; and having acatch at; each end, one catch being adapted to engage the front edge portion of the top position and; the other catch being adapted to engage the free edge portion of the bottom plate when in its folded position, and a similarly constructed locking bolt having similar locking means disposed at the lower portion of the rear side plate and'adapted to bolts 8 plate when in its unfolded a bolt rigid throughout having hinged side engage respectively the bottom and top plates in their unfolded and folded positions.

In a folding crate, the combination of a collapsible container, comprising the side and end plates hinged together, a top plate hinged to the upper edge of one side plate, a bottom plate hinged to the lower edge of the other side plate, a bolt rigid throughout its length and slidingly carried by the upper portion of one of the side plates and having a hook at each end, the upper or outer hook being adapted to engage and lock the top plate in its extended position, and the lower or inner hook being adapted to engage and lock the bottom plate in its folded position, the said outer hook, when the parts are in the last named position, being adapted to clasp the upper portions of the folded parts, and a similar bolt similarly carried by the other side plate at its lower portion and having similar hooks for engaging respectively the bottom plate in its extended position and a top plate in its folded position and for clasping the lower portions of the folded parts.

4. In a folding crate, the combination with a collapsible structure, of a substantially rigid slide having a catch at each end adapted to engage and lock various parts in their folded and unfolded positions, the slide being of spring material and adapted to be sprung to and from certain of its locking positions.

5. In a folding crate, the combination with a collapsible container having side and end plates hinged together, top and bottom plates hinged to the side plates, the bottom plate being adapted to swing from a horizontal unfolded to a vertical folded position, means for locking the bottom plate in its unfolded position, a substantially rigid sliding bolt having means adapted to engage and lock the top plate in its unfolded position and also having means adapted to be sprung past portions of the bottom plate for locking the same in its folded position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BAKER M. TOMBERLIN. WVitnesses:

JOHN H. BOYD, HARRY E. BENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

